Screening followed by a Q&A with Téa Leoni.
Moderated by Mark Peikert, Backstage.
SYNOPSIS
Madam Secretary stars Tèa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly appointed Secretary of State who drives international diplomacy, battles office politics and circumvents protocol as she negotiates global and domestic issues, both at the White House and at home. A college professor and a brilliant former CIA analyst who left for ethical reasons, Elizabeth returns to public life at the request of the President following the suspicious death of her predecessor. The President values her apolitical leanings, her deep knowledge of the Middle East, her flair for languages and her ability to not just think outside the box, but to not even acknowledge there is a box. McCord's team includes her Chief of Staff Nadine Tolliver, speechwriter Matt Mahoney, press coordinator Daisy Grant and her charming assistant Blake Moran. When McCord debates third world problems, finesses foreign dignitaries at work and does battle with the President's combative Chief of Staff Russell Jackson, it's just a warm-up for when she goes home to her supportive husband, Henry, and their two bright children, where "politics" and "compromise" take on new meaning.
PANELIST BIO
Téa Leoni has appeared in many feature films, including Tower Heist, Ghost Town, You Kill Me, Fun with Dick and Jane, Flirting with Disaster, Deep Impact, The Smell of Success, House of D, Spanglish, People I Know, Hollywood Ending, Jurassic Park III and The Family Man, among others.
On television, she is well-known for her critically acclaimed role in the situation comedy The Naked Truth, which aired for three seasons. She also starred in the series Flying Blind.
Since 2001, Leoni has been a UNICEF Ambassador and, since 2006, she has been a National Board Member of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Leoni is the third generation of her family working with UNICEF. Her grandmother co-founded the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in 1947 and served as its President for 25 years. She has been heavily involved in the organization, and her contributions were recognized in November 2007 when she and her father, Tony Pantaleoni, received the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award for their dedicated service.
